Zanca and Uriostegui Show Potential As WorldSSP300 Season Starts At Assen

Team 109 began their 2023 FIM Supersport 300 championship at the iconic TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, securing their first points of the season thanks to Alessandro Zanca’s performance in Saturday’s opening race, whilst Juan Pablo Uriostegui showed great potential on his debut in the series.

Encouraging times by both riders on Friday left the team in good spirits and in the early stages of Superpole on Saturday in mixed conditions, after overnight rain, Alessandro and Juan Pablo were running strongly. Unfortunately, as the track dried Alessandro had a crash without injury.

The first race of the season was dry and both riders made up places immediately. A strong pace from both meant a double top ten finish with Alessandro P14 and Juan Pablo P18. Sunday once again saw both riders make up places immediately from their grid positions. Juan Pablo was running inside the top fifteen before sliding out of contention, whilst Alessandro narrowly missed his second points finish of the weekend. He crossed the line eighteenth.

The team is looking forward to round two at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain next week, a circuit that both riders have ridden during the winter break ahead of the new season.

Alessandro Zanca:
“The weekend wasn’t bad at all. It’s a shame about the crash in qualifying but we had good pace in the race. I want to thank the team for their great work after the crash and I want to thank all my sponsors. I will try everything in Barcelona for a good result for me and the team.”

Juan Pablo Uriostegui:
“It was a weekend of learning as it was my first-time racing in World Supersport 300. It was a new circuit, but I was able to learn it quite quickly. I was making good lap times in the Superpole but then it started to dry, and I finished twenty-third on the grid which made it difficult to go with the front group in the races. I was fighting with the second group and finished eighteenth in the first race. I made a great start in race two and I was able to join the front group. I was feeling fast but then I had a crash. Overall, I am happy because we improved a lot from Friday, and I am looking froward to the next race in Barcelona.”

Paul Tobin – Team Principal:
“We are excited to get the 2023 season underway with two new riders. The weekend started well. Juan Pablo had never been to Assen before and never raced in the series, so the first two days were all about making sure he was comfortable with his surroundings. Free Practice went well with Alessandro in P4 but in Superpole, in the mixed conditions, he crashed on his way back to the pits to change to slicks which put him out of position on the grid. Juan Pablo was still learning the circuit but did a good job. Both riders fought really hard in race one and we were able to score our first points of the season. In race two Juan Pablo crashed out of thirteenth after starting twenty-third which is a shame but shows his potential. Alessandro finished P18. We are confident for Catalunya where both riders have tested and are positive with our package that we can show our true potential. I want to thank both riders and the entire team for their efforts and to our sponsors and technical partners – thank you. See you in Spain!”